Heavenly Paradise@AdelineAng.com

Moving is a tiring and tedious process. I’ve to admit that I’m fortunate in a way, since this is only my third move in six and a half years. I don’t understand how some people could tolerate the hassle of moving from place to place every year, or worse still, every school term!

Boxes are very useful when it comes to moving. Nonetheless, I’ve to say that it really is a waste of time packing and unpacking. Needless to say, transporting time can take up a big chunk of the day.

One of my biggest dream is to own a house; no more worries about the lease and moving issues (unless I really have to for some reason). I’m not a big fan of spring cleaning. If given a choice, I’ll choose spring cleaning over moving, anytime.

The positive side of moving that I can see, is to get rid of junks! Besides, it gives us a good idea of our “assets”; what we already own and what we don’t. So that we won’t be walking into the store and purchase the same thing over and over again. Sounds familiar?

Anyway, I’ll be relieved for a little while after this move. The next one is coming up in 4 months’ time, as anticipated….

I love this. What a great way to promote the city public transit! The chart doesn’t only provide the difference in total cost by owning a car and riding the bus, but the detailed information also gives the general public an idea of what really adds up. The final line is a good one too: increased daily costs with usage of car, BUT decreased daily costs with usage of bus. Finally, “It Pays to Use Transit.”

Whoever came out with this chart, I’m hoping that he/she is taking the public transit him/herself. Owning a car is expensive. That’s very well true. Better still, keeping a car costs more. Depending on the manufacturer, condition, etc., a ten-year-old used car can easily be purchased at merely $3,ooo, or even less. According to the chart above, the total cost to maintain the car is far more than the cost of the car itself. $6,500 (total cost from the chart) - $2,820 (leasing cost) = $3,680.

Let’s do the math. Divide the annual estimated cost by 12. $3,680/12 = ~ $307. Come to think of it… how many of us spend $307 on groceries each month for one person? Are we spending more on the car than on ourselves? Does it mean that we treasure the car more?

I know not everyone agrees with me. Owning car for the family is one thing, but owning car for just one person seems almost ridiculous! Of course, if you have no other debts to look after and that you can afford it, why not?

Having said that, car is a necessity nowadays, especially if you don’t live close to workplace. Taking a bus costs less, but I’ve to admit that the traveling time is not very flexible. In a small city like Fredericton, be ready to wait for another 30 minutes to an hour for the next bus. Worse still, limited buses on Saturdays, and no bus available on Sundays.

To own a car or to ride the bus? The decision is up to individuals. I considered myself fortunate that I can ride the bus to and fro work during the cold months, and ride my bicycles during the warmer months. Nonetheless, when I can finally settle down in the city some day, having a car is a nice treat.

Source: Canada.com

Living in the small city of Fredericton with the population of 51,000, I’ve been quite blessed with the reasonable cost of housing here. What can you do with $675? Perhaps a monthly rent for a comfy and spacious bachelor apartment, or a decent size two-bedroom apartment. Of course, as you’ve expected, kitchen, living room, bathroom will be included as well.

Imagine… an apartment unit in the above picture is all you can get in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia. How big is it? About the size of two parking spaces!! The 270 sq. ft. “micro loft” includes kitchen and bathroom too. Amazing! It really makes me wonder, if we’re now following the footsteps of some congested cities such as Tokyo, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. The whole idea of these “micro lofts” is to allow low-income individuals to be able to afford a place of their own. Nonetheless, living in an apartment about the size of a standard bedroom will certainly drive me nuts!

Here is an interesting article I came across with, about an Australian dentist’s definition of Canadian:

An Australian Definition of a Canadian
In case anyone asks you who a Canadian is . . .
       
You probably missed it in the local news, but there was a report that someone in Pakistan had advertised in a newspaper an offer of a reward to anyone who killed a Canadian – any Canadian..
   
An Australian dentist wrote the following editorial to help define what a Canadian is, so they would know one when they found one.
     
A Canadian can be English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. A Canadian can be Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, Arab, Pakistani or Afghan.

Stylish? Practical? I’m perplexed looking at the so-called “winter boots” on the market. Most of the women boots look pretty and stylish. Nonetheless, it doesn’t take long to realize that they have poor insulation, and with no water resistance! What good it is to keep one in the winter?

Oh well, I shouldn’t say that. For someone who hops into the car from home, drive to work, hop from the card into the work building, and hop back into the car and drive home after work, maybe, those boots won’t be a bad option.

For me, a few hundred metres of walk to the bus stop everyday, and a few kilometres of walk for groceries or to downtown when the buses are not available.

Where can those boots get me to? No where! It doesn’t take long before they get soaking wet from the snow, and leads to wet socks, and freezing feet.

So, be practical!

I’ve a good pair of leather boots that I’ve been wearing for the past six winters. It has good water resistance and well insulated. However, over the years, soles are losing treads and the traction isn’t the best. There were times where I almost slipped and fell on the icy patches, and worse still, I could barely balance myself walking down a steep slope. That was terrifying…

The solution to this is, studded boots! Same idea as studded winter tires, they will give more traction as compared to regular winter tires. These studded rubber strap, “Stabilicers,” can be placed around the bottom of my boots.

Off I went! Instead of avoiding the icy ground, I can now walk in a straight line without much complications.

Thanks to Miles for the great idea. It’s a nice Christmas gift, that allows me to walk in the winter with confidence ;)

I’m not a big fan of flu shots; not that I’m afraid of needles (I’ve had lots of practice from blood donation), but I’d rather let my own body immune system fight off the virus. What would happen if my body depends too much on the flu shots? Yes, by getting flu shot, I’m quite certain that my chances of catching the flu is close to nothing. Nonetheless, who can guarantee that I’m not catching something else in the air?

How many flu shots does it require for us to stay away from all the bugs? The answer is “too many.” Hence, my idea is, let my body defend for herself. This way, defense system can be strengthen and fight a longer battle.

Conversely, immune system that’s over protected (fully depend on flu shots) has a harder time to be on its own when crisis arises. Worse comes to worst, our body loses the battle and we feel miserable. At least, our body will then recognize the enemy and will do a better job in defending him/herself next time around.

When H1N1 flu shot became available to the public, I was contemplating whether or not I should get one. I convinced myself to get one in the end based on the following reasons:

1) H1N1 can be deadly. It doesn’t seem to get any better but worse. Prevention is better than cure.

2) If I never get the shot and happen to catch the flu. I’ll be the only person to be blamed.

3) It’s free. Actually, it’s more like I’ve already paid for it since it’s from the taxpayer’s pocket.

Some of the symptoms of H1N1 swine flu are: extreme fatigue, sore throat, cough, headache, runny & stuff nose, muscle aches, nausea, and vomiting. Who can get it? It’s just about anyone!  

The media hype on H1N1 influenza virus leads to absurd paranoiac amongst the public. Here is the question. Is H1N1 flu virus any worse than other flu or disease that we know of? Reports have shown that seasonal flu kills more than 35,000 Americans every year, 1.6 million people died from Tuberculosis in 2005, and SARS killed 163 people up to 2003. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were about 8,000 confirmed death cases caused by H1N1 flu virus, up to end of November 2009. Is H1N1 virus any worse? Do the math.

What are the impacts of H1N1 (by getting the public paranoid)? Drug companies are selling more drugs, doctors are attending to more patients, medical institutions are getting more businesses. These phenomena made me wonder: are these all about media and politics?

Look at this. Every month, 50,000 people die from AIDS in South Africa. Every day, nearly 1,600 people die from AIDS. And guess what? 42,000 people died from car accidents in 2001 and more than 20,000 death cases from the common flu in the USA annually.

Stay healthy. Be happy. Instead of living in fear because of influenza viruses, there are lots of other things in life to be treasured and cherished.

Spring is my favourite time of the year for traveling. Nice and cool weather without having to put on thick winter clothing is wonderful. Furthermore, it’s the perfect time to beat the crowd before summer kicks in. The lower cost of flight ticket and accommodation during the off-peak season is another added bonus!

I’ve travelled to the major cities in Canada in the past; Vancouver and Victoria (British Columbia), Calgary and Edmonton (Alberta), Toronto and Ottawa (Ontario), Quebec city and Montreal (Quebec), Halifax (Nova Scotia) etc. How about the United States? Piscataquis County (Maine),  St. Louis (Missouri), New York City (New York), and Boston (Massachusetts), are among the places I’ve been to before my recent trip.

The West Coast of United States is somewhere I’ve been longing to visit. The majestic Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, famous Hollywood in Los Angeles, beautiful beaches in San Diego, the gamblers’ paradise of Las Vegas, mighty Grand Canyon & Colorado River in Arizona…..

My dreams came true, at the end of my two-week backpacking trip to the West Coast of United States. Together with my brother, we got the most out of our trip by traveling to various cities in a short period of time. We walked from one street to the other, hopped on and off buses, took the subway train one after another, travelled from one city to the other… It was certainly an enjoyable and fulfilling one. By overcoming the ups and downs throughout the trip as a team, we savoured the excitement of traveling. Things are made possible, when two are together. Thank you for the laughter and help, my little bro. The trip would not be as fun without you.

The level of hotness and spiciness of hot chili peppers is rather subjective, depending on individual taste and cultural background. Capsicum is the genus of these plants.  As a little kid, chilies fall under the “adult food” category; I didn’t have a clue why adults enjoy them so much. I had no desire to give them a try, since it was perceived as a torture to taste buds! I used to dislike peppers, be it chili peppers or the regular green peppers. My “adult food” list included coffee, alcoholic drinks, raw garlic and onions, bitter melon, phoenix claw (a.k.a. chicken feet) etc.

Eventually, I learned to appreciate the unique taste of “adult food”, including hot chili peppers. I like the taste of food on its own, don’t get me wrong. A hint (or splash, when in a greater amount) of these miraculous hot spices add a distinct flavour to food.

What is your tolerance threshold for hot, spicy food? Is there a standard measurement for the spicy level of chilies? Wilber Scoville developed the Scoville scale in 1912. “Scoville Organoleptic Test” was performed as a subjective measure of the heat level of chilies. Testers sipped a solution of sweetened blended pure chilies, with  increasingly diluted concentrations, up to a point where there is no more burning sensation to the mouths. A number was then generated for individual chili peppers, on the basis of how much water needed for the dilution before the tasters can no longer taste or feel the heat.

The heat factor is expressed in the multiples of 100 units. 1.5 Scoville Units are based on one part of chili heat factor in 1 million drops of water. Pure capsaicin (the main hot ingredient in chili peppers) is rated between 15 and 16 million Scoville Units! It creates burning sensation in any tissues that come in contact; an irritant for humans and other mammals.

With the emergence of advanced technology, liquid chromatography is a more scientific and accurate measure of capsaicin levels.

These sweet bell peppers have zero Scoville Units.

Jalapeno scores between 2,500 and 8,00o Scoville Units.

Finger hot chilies are slightly hotter than jalapeno.

Thai chilies, between 50,000 and 100,000 Scoville Units!!!

“Mysteriously Hot Peppers?” Hmm…

“Dried Hottest Chili?” Perfect for cooking!

What about habanero peppers? How hot are they? The orange habanero chili is between 150,000 and 325,000 Scoville Units, where as Red Savina habanero is between 350,000 and 575,000 Scoville Units!!!!! The latter is also known as the Dominican Devil’s Tongue Pepper or the Ball of Fire Pepper in Guyana.

Who is the hottest of all? With Scoville Units greater than 1.04 million, Naga Jolokia is crowned with the title of “hottest chili in the world,” by the Guinness World Records. Ghost Chili of Ghost Pepper are some alternative names given to it.

The tolerance of hot chili peppers comes with years of practice. How to make the hot chilies hotter? Snap or cut chilies into smaller pieces in cooking, without removing seeds. Another proven experience is that previously frozen fresh chilies (i.e. green Thai chilies) taste hotter! There are different kinds of hot in dishes prepared with chilies: spicy hot, numb hot, sour hot, burning hot, tearing hot etc. The best ones would have to be those that are appetizing, with its pleasant smell and astonishing great taste; the more I eat, the more I enjoy!

Shopping for a pair of warm and nice gloves for winter? After a preview of what to wear for winter as far as clothing is concerned, here are some general guidelines for choosing a suitable pair of winter gloves.

Leather gloves: These are cool! They look great and match well with almost any clothing. Having said that, keep in mind that those with 100% cashmere lining are not very warm gloves. Unless there’s extra lining (i.e. fur, wool etc.) to go with the genuine leather for extra warmth, it’s not recommended to wear them below -10 °C.

Ski gloves: These are warm gloves and perfect for outdoor activities, e.g. skiing, building snowman etc. The water resistant nature and 100% polyester lining of these gloves keep hands warm at all times! The Velcro straps around the wrists help to lock in the position of gloves, as well as to avoid the exposure to snow and cold wind.

Is there any disadvantage? Sweaty palms can lead to freezing cold hands under low temperatures. This has happened to me before, during ski trips. Any solutions? Choose gloves made with breathable materials whenever possible; otherwise, avoid wearing them for long hours without allowing palms to be in contact with fresh air.

Mittens: Polar fleece mittens that made of 100% polyester are rather common. Acrylic and wool are some other materials widely used in mittens. Mittens are generally nice and warm. Disadvantage? There’s very limited finger joint mobility when wearing mittens. To snap pictures in the cold weather, I’ll have to take them off and use bare hands instead. It won’t take long for hands to turn blue and purple. Ouch! It hurts! The freezing cold hands will then need to be “thawed” under room temperature. :P Picture taking in the winter can be rather challenging!

Gloves: These are the common type of gloves, typically made of polyester, acrylic, and/or wool.

Mitts-gloves hybrid: This is what I’d name them, since I’m not sure if there’s a specific name for them ;) These are my favourite! I got a pair of them last winter and have been wearing them almost every single day during winter ever since. The outer shell and lining of these gloves consist of 100% polyester. What’s so cool about them? The part on finger tips can be popped open! This enables great flexibility for finger joint movements for various activities, e.g. shooting pictures, controlling light switches, locking/unlocking with keys etc. What an awesome invention!

Have you made up your mind what to get yet? The best thing to do, is of course to keep several different pair of gloves. Wear a suitable pair, depending on weather and according to special needs.

The fluctuating prices of fuel is something interesting to observe. The fuel prices are different across Canada and they vary every week (at least in this city). New fuel prices take effect on every Thursday in Fredericton. For those who pay close attention to the fuel prices announcement the day before, have the opportunity to fuel up their fuel tanks or wait for a bit, depending on the fluctuation in fuel prices. You’ll be surprised how much can be saved, especially for those who travel a fair bit throughout the week!!

It’s almost like the stock market to me, except it’s with a weekly fluctuation. The change in fuel prices has a lot to do with supply and demand, political issues, and whatnot. The rising of fuel prices leads to cost increases in almost everything; groceries, transportation fare etc. The funny thing is, these prices will almost never go down even if the fuel prices decrease. I supposed that’s the way it is, even in many other places around the world.

How about the fuel prices in Malaysia? The citizens were shocked to learn that price of gasoline increased by 40 %, from RM1.92/litre (CAD 0.69/litre) to RM 2.70/litre (CAD 0.96/litre) and diesel price rose from RM1/litre to RM2.58/litre, after the local government decided to cut down on fuel subsidization, in June 2008. The good news is, reduction of fuel prices was introduced later, partly due to the drop in global oil prices. As of December 2008, gas price stood at RM1.90/litre and diesel price at RM1.80/litre.

One of the biggest questions I had when I first arrived in Canada: why is diesel cheaper than regular gasoline? It’s the opposite in Malaysia, where diesel price is always lower than that of gas. Basic chemistry is telling us that diesel is less refined and cheaper to processed from crude oil; it’ll only make sense that it’s cheaper than regular gas. How come this is not the case in Canada (and some other countries)?

Here is a good explanation for it:

Until several years ago, the average price of diesel fuel was usually lower than the average price of gasoline. In some winters when the demand for distillate heating oil was high, the price of diesel fuel rose above the gasoline price. Since September 2004, the price of diesel fuel has been generally higher than the price of regular gasoline all year round for several reasons. Worldwide demand for diesel fuel and other distillate fuel oils has been increasing steadily, with strong demand in China, Europe, and the U.S., putting more pressure on the tight global refining capacity. In the U.S., the transition to low-sulfur diesel fuel has affected diesel fuel production and distribution costs. Also, the Federal excise tax on diesel fuel is 6 cents higher per gallon (24.4 cents per gallon) than the tax on gasoline.

Other articles which you might find interesting to read:
Why is Diesel More Expensive Than Regular Gas?
Why is Diesel Fuel More Expensive Than Gasoline?
Why is Diesel Even More Expensive Than Gas?

Will diesel ever be cheaper than gasoline again? You bet!  Here is what happen in the United States:

Conversely, diesel prices are falling as a result of a milder than usual winter which has left heating oil stocks at higher than normal levels. That means that more crude can be refined into nearly identical diesel fuel. Supplies of diesel will rise quickly, but demand is not likely to follow unless the economy picks up. And no one expects that to happen at least until the second half of the year.

The reversion to higher gasoline/lower diesel prices is not expected to last, mainly due to demand for diesel in Western Europe, where diesel-powered automobiles currently account for 53% of new car sales. Refiners like Marathon Oil Company (NYSE:MRO) and Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) are expanding their diesel capacities to meet the expected global demand.

Once diesel prices drop below gasoline prices, they are expected to stay there for a few months. US railroads and trucking companies, especially, are expected to get some relief from high diesel prices. But that condition is not expected to last beyond the beginning of the 2009-2010 heating season. Strong global demand for diesel will keep supplies of the fuel tight, and refiner margins up. Diesel fuel, not gasoline, is where the money is right now.

The fluctuating gas price observed in Fredericton:

Dec. 13, 2008. 70.9 cents/litre for regular gasoline.

Dec. 18, 2008. 73.9 cents/litre for regular gasoline; 88.4 cents/litre for diesel.

Jan. 3, 2009 (Saint John, NB). 65.9 cents/litre for regular gasoline. A record low in years!

Jan. 10, 2009. 73.9 cents/litre for regular gasoline.

Feb. 28, 2009. 77.5 cents/litre for regular gasoline.

As of today, the price of regular gas is 84.5 cents/litre in Fredericton.

You’re in Canada and have no idea where to go for a quick coffee break/breakfast/lunch/brunch? Try Tim Hortons! This is where I had my first meal in Canada several years ago. The uptown Tim Hortons in Fredericton opens 24/7, the so-called “mamak” for Malaysians here :) I remembered those good old days where we sat and chatted while sipping on hot coffee till wee hours in the midst of everyone’s busy class schedule, in the cold winter nights.

Tim Hortons is Canada’s largest quick-serve coffee and doughnut chain. The first store was opened in Hamilton, Ontario, back in 1964. Currently, there are more than 2,800 store locations across Canada, and more than 400 in the United States.

Why can Tim Hortons be so successful? This has a lot to do with its location, marketing strategy, and unbeatable price (compared to Starbucks, Second Cup etc.). $0.80 for a doughnut and $1.01 for a small, or $1.14 for a medium cup of hot beverage. Beat that! Not to forget, the lineup at the drive-thru can be rather crazy in the morning and lunch hour. The lineup is so long that it often results in congested traffic on the main street! I don’t understand why drivers don’t just park their cars and walk into the store instead. Wouldn’t it be quicker than waiting in line?

Recently, Tim Hortons is working towards joining forces with Cold Stone Creamery (U.S.-based), to create up to 100 co-branded stores at various locations in the United States (Ohio, Michigan, New York, and Rhode Island). The idea is to offer some cold treats (ice-cream, smoothie, shakes) at Tim Hortons to attract more customers in the evenings as well; since it is busy mainly in the morning and lunch hour. On the other hand, Cold Stone Creamery which has a steady business in the late afternoon and evening, will be able to draw in a larger crowd during the day by serving Tim’s products (coffee, doughnuts, sandwiches and soups etc.). Apparently, this is not a brand new idea. More than a decade ago, co-branding agreement was established between Dunkin’ Donut (world’s largest coffee and doughnut chain) and Baskin-Robbins in the United States.

The doughnut shelf at Tim Hortons. Timbits (on the bottom shelf), Tim’s signature doughnut holes.

Freshly baked muffins, bagels, danishes, croissants, cookies etc.

The “Roll Up The Rim To Win” contest started since 1986. It usually runs during the late winter months, into early spring. Cups for hot beverages (medium, large, and extra large) have special rims that contain messages printed on the inside. When rolled up, messages indicate if someone is a winner or not. 35 Toyota Venza, 100 $10,000 cash prizes, 1,000 Toshiba laptops, 25,000 $100 Tim Card, and over 31 million food prizes are among the prizes to be won this year!! With 1:9 odds of winning, many has at least won some food prizes. The contest runs while cup supplies last.

Oops… try again :(

I find the marketing strategy of Tim Hortons is amusing. In order to sustain a steady flow of customers, special treats are offered during special occasions, for a limited period. In the early summer last year (in conjuction with strawberry picking season), Strawberry Blossom doughnut was offered.

Strawberry Blossom doughnut. Hard candy sprinkles with strawberry jam in the middle.

Candy Cane doughnut during Christmas season. Chocolate doughnut with colourful hard candy sprinkles.

My favourite Boston Cream doughnut. It’s filled with custard and topped with chocolate glaze. *Highly recommended*

The new Cherry Chocolate Bloom doughnut. Chocolate and cherry sprinkles with delightful cherry jam in the middle.

Doughnuts in a box (clockwise, from top left): Sour Cream Glazed, Vanilla Dip, Cherry Chocolate Bloom, Boston Cream, Blueberry Fritter, and Honey Cruller.

Trail mix cookie was offered with a cup of hot green tea for $1.99.

The newly introduced Whole Grain Rasberry muffin.

Pumpkin Spice muffin was offered in the fall of 2008.

Cheese tea biscuit with Pumpkin Spice doughnut and Pumpkin Spice tea.

Maple Pecan danish.

Hot breakfast sandwich (on Tim’s Homestyle Biscuit) with egg, sausage, and cheese.

Breakfast bagel, B.E.L.T. (bacon/sausage, egg, lettuce, and tomatoes). Yumm…

A bowl of chili with garlic toast.

Creamy Field Mushroom soup (contains portobello, white, and shiitake mushrooms) with tea biscuit.

Freshly baked crisp and flaky croissant with butter.

Do you frequent the baking aisle at the grocery store? You’ll be amazed what can be found here! Flour is the basic ingredient for baking. There is a variety of flour, such as all-purpose (white), cake & pastry, bread, whole wheat, multi-grain etc. Since the global shortage of wheat more than a year ago, the price of wheat hits a record high. I remembered getting a 10 kg of all-purpose flour for $ 4.99 when it was on sale. Nowadays, the regular selling price is $ 11.99!!

Feeling lazy and want to do some “no-fail” and quick baking? What about the cake/muffin mix? To prepare batter, simply add milk and eggs into the mix. I’ve tried before and they are pretty good; moist and tasty. It’s highly recommended to those who like to try baking themselves for a change!

Besides cake/muffin mix, there is also ready-to-bake cookie dough. It comes in a cylindrical shape. Simply cut the dough into slices (individual cookies), bake them, and serve! How simple is that!

Here comes a new creation–the Shaker cupcakes/muffins! What is it exactly? It says on the bottle “add milk & shake!” Wow… that’s fancy! Add milk into the bottle and shake it up. The batter will be ready in no time. Subsequently, pour batter into cake pan and bake! Easy enough?

Despite the convenience of cake mix, I prefer baking from scratch. This is what I’d call the “real” baking. It offers more flexibility and many at times, more challenging. As a result, baked goods have finer texture and taste yummier!

Are you curious to find out what other “junks” could potentially be in the snow? With HPC (Heterotrophic Plate Count) method, the melted snow is mixed  with some molten agar on plates. Subsequently, these plates are incubated at 35 °C for 48 hours, to allow the growth of bacteria and any other microorganisms. There is a total of four plates; two for “clean” snow and another two for dirty snow.

To interpret results, simply count the colonies with a colony counter.

Here are the results:

“Clean” snow has an average count of 44 (51 & 37).

Dirty snow has an average count of 65 (60 & 70).

Hmm… looks like the “clean” snow is not a whole lot cleaner than the dirty snow. My conclusions? The presence of microorganisms is inevitable in food intake, most of the time. We don’t usually get sick immediately upon consumption, as our bodies are protected by the immune system. Have you ever wonder if the ice used to prepare A.B.C. at various food stalls is clean to begin with? I won’t be surprised if the it turns out to be more “contaminated” than the fresh snow I’ve had!

Clean and dirty are just relative terms. Clean doesn’t mean that there is no microorganisms in it, but it’s “clean” enough not to make us sick. Conversely, dirty can be something that looked gross even with naked eyes and make us ill after consuming. As long as our bodies can fight against the foreign microorganisms and keep us healthy, having “not-so-clean” food once in a while, might help to build up a stronger immune system :)

Some might not agree with this. Anyway, it’s just my personal opinion. After all, I survived from eating my eco-friendly “natural” A.B.C. :P

I was anticipating the test results for snow today. Carefully, I removed the trays (where a mixture of melted snow and test reagent was kept) from the 35 °C incubator, after one day of incubation. Shockingly, the test for microbiological parameters of the snow turned out to be negative, i.e. it’s safe to consume!! In other words, snow is tested negative for coliforms and E. coli. Thus, snow shouldn’t make us sick immediately. Hooray! It wasn’t a bad decision to have A.B.C. after all!

For the purpose of this test, I used dirty snow (brownish, from the snowbank) as a control, and “clean” snow (untouched, purely white) as a test. There is one coliform present in the former, and nothing found in the “clean” snow. The reason for having a control is to prove that coliform and/or E. coli can indeed be present in snow, since microbiology test for water is not supposed to be frozen. Under the cold temperature, bacteria may not survive.

“Clean” snow is tested negative for coliform and E. coli (top), and one coliform (a yellow spot pointed by black arrow) is found in the dirty snow.

Having said that, this conclusion is drawn solely from the microbiology perspectives. Other contamination, such as organic, inorganic, metals, and nutrients could be involved. Basically, even though it seems like the snow is safe to consume, it doesn’t mean there is no other “junks” which potentially harmful to us.

Hmm… how do we know if there is any other junk at all? Be sure to check back for more updates! The results will be revealed shortly after this.

Donning layers of thick clothing in the winter isn’t funny at all. Plummeting temperatures, biting cold wind, and slews of snowfall leave you with no choice, but to put on warmer and thicker clothing. After a few years of winter experience, I’m much used to knowing what to wear based on the daily weather forecast. Of course, always take the wind chill factor into consideration!

0 to -5 °C: A long-sleeve blouse or cotton turtleneck, and a fall jacket.

-5 to -10 °C: A long-sleeve blouse or cotton turtleneck; alternatively, a short-sleeve blouse and a fleece jacket. Top these up with a regular winter coat.

-10 to -20 °C: A long-sleeve cotton turtleneck, a fleece jacket, and a regular winter coat.

-20 to -30 °C: A long-sleeve cotton turtleneck, a fleece jacket, and a thick winter coat.

-30 to -40 °C: A long-sleeve cotton turtleneck, a thick fleece jacket, and a thicker winter coat (i.e. ski jacket).

-40 °C and below: Stay at home!!

It’s important to choose the proper clothing materials as well as understand the appropriate handling of winter clothing. I tend to stick with cotton blouse or turtleneck, and polyester-based jacket. I don’t usually put on wool clothing, except in extreme cold. Not only does it cause skin irritation, but it also requires special handling in washing (ie. should be hung dry, instead of machine dry). Water resistant outwear made of polyester and nylon is great. It keeps body from getting wet, and hence, avoid freezing. Winter coats filled with down and waterfowl feathers are excellent for insulation. Clothing that needs dry-cleaning? It’s troublesome. Try to avoid getting one, if possible.

Besides clothing mentioned above, a pair of warm gloves and winter hat are extremely useful too. I’m not a big fan of scarves; in my opinion, the more you carry with you, the easier it is to lose things. Hence, wearing light and staying cozy is my goal. Winter coats with hoods and high zippers are wonderful. You can stay comfy without a winter hat; neck and lips are well protected when zippers are pulled all the way up.

How about the bottom layers? You may now wonder… Most of the time, I survived with just a good pair of jeans. Under temperature -35 °C and below, an extra layer of insulation is recommended, even a pair of thighs. When it’s freezing cold, clothing tends to become rigid. This applies to jeans. It almost seems like clothing is undergoing the freezing state, and it’s sticking on body. In this case, a pair of thighs underneath can make a big difference. Having said that, it’s advisable to put on snow pants when it’s too cold. Snow pants offer great insulation and best of all, it’s water resistant! It’s a necessity for skiing.

Overdressed can be as bad as underdressed. You don’t want to suffocate yourself with thick clothing and that you can barely move. Perspiring in the cold winter will only freeze you up. So, don’t do that. Conversely, underdressed might cause frostbite and dry skins. Hence, dress according to the weather.

I’ve never worn Long Johns thus far. Why? Good question! With Long Johns, you may feel warmer in the cold, but it may result in skin irritation when you’re inside a heated building. The same idea applies to wool clothing. If you’re only going to be in the cold for 2 minutes (e.g. walking from car to a building), and staying in the building for the next 8 hours, why bother putting on Long Johns? Unless, of course, you’re staying outdoor for long hours. With a good heating and insulating system, one can be wearing a t-shirt and shorts indoor, despite the freezing -40 °C outside!

It’s worthwhile investing in winter clothing of good materials. The good ones can last for years. Same goes for footwear. A pair of non-slip waterproof winter boots can save you from painful falls and freezing feet. It’s highly recommended to own a pair!

Warm (e.g. 7 °C), mild, chilly, cold, very cold, freezing cold, extreme cold, unbearable cold… These are all relative and subjective terms often used to express the level of cold experienced in the winter.

After the long winter months, it almost feels like spring or fall when the rising temperature leaves the sub-zero zone. Lesser and thinner clothing is an indication of the arrival of spring. Hmm… this probably won’t happen anytime soon. Meanwhile, have fun with the snow everyone!